Denis Smith was born in Soisson-La-Montagne in the mountains above
Port au Prince on April 14, 1954.

In 1972 he joined the the art colony of Saint-Soleil in the mountains. His contemporaries were Louisianne St. Fleurant, Prospere Pierre-Louis, Dieuseul Paul and Levoy Exil. In 1989 he was a founding member of "Cinq Soleils", along with the above 4 that seceded from the main colony. They built a studio near there.
He and Exil are the only surviving members of the 5 Soleils.